• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe

A day trip from Baltimore: Our first time on Utz’s factory tour

June 26, 2019
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

I don’t remember when we first heard about the Utz factory tour, but we have been wanting to go for years. But because the tour is only offered Monday through Thursday, we have never managed to fit it into our schedule.This summer, though, we were determined. My husband picked a day to take off during my staycation week with our sons, and we headed up to Hanover, Pa.

The factory is less than an hour from our house, and years ago I lived and worked in Hanover. But I couldn’t have told you where the factory was, though I could definitely find my way to the factory outlet. I generally spend more time in outlets than factories.

My husband and sons, though, are fans of the TV show, “How It’s Made,” which shows how different products are created, and we’re all fans of Utz potato chips. So, we were excited to see the process.

When we arrived at the factory, we found it wasn’t crowded. The Utz employees were warm and welcoming. They seemed genuinely happy to be there—and delighted to see us.

There was a video to watch, and we each posed inside a Sally Utz cut-out, though some of us were more enthusiastic about that than others.

Then we headed into the factory viewing area. You aren’t allowed to take pictures or videos in there, as I learned quickly from the 9- and 11-year-old boys who were suddenly at my side saying, “MOM!!! Didn’t you see the sign?”

Oops. Still, even though you aren’t allowed to take photos, you are encouraged to watch, and there is so much to see!

Mounds of potatoes move into a machine and come out sliced. They move on a conveyor belt through another machine as they are positioned for cooking. Then they come out nice and crispy and darker. It was fascinating. We watched the process unfold and the perfectly sealed bags of chips moving up conveyor belts toward boxes, then boxes stacked high in the final warehouse room.

What I loved the most was seeing that as the machinery ran smoothly, alongside the machines were men and women who were making everything happen. They waved at us from below, and we waved back. Everyone was wearing Utz shirts, and the whole process was so upbeat—not what I imagine when I think of a factory.

The variety packs were even put together by a team of women, not by robots. I learned later that that’s because there is such a demand for variety packs in the summer when everyone is going to picnics and barbecues.

After the tour, we signed the guest book, and stopped to enjoy free bags of chips. The whole experience was free, in fact. Our children were surprised at the price.

The ladies staffing the counter seemed to have all the time in the world for our questions about the process, the history, how fresh chips are when we buy them in stores (no more than 2 or 3 days old), and their own time with the company (30-plus years for each of them). And no one seemed to mind that, as we talked, our children were bouncing around the room like chips rattling along a conveyor belt.

Then we drove to the outlet store and spent time selecting just the right snacks to take home. The cashier happened to have a coupon someone else hadn’t used and threw in a free bag of crab chips. Maybe they do that for everyone. Maybe it’s a sign that you’ve spent too much. Either way, we were happy. And I would definitely go again.

As the jingle says, “No ifs, ands, or buts, it’s gotta be Utz.”

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Rita Buettner

View all posts from this author

| Recent Commentary |

Our faith is not afraid of questions

Artificial Intelligence, wholeism and prayer

Question Corner: Does reception of the Eucharist replace confession?

A butterfly lands on a flowering bush with purple blossoms

A Miracle for a Baby in Rhode Island (and for all of us)

Kids need lots of people who love them

| Recent Local News |

Archdiocese of Baltimore offers resources for parishes to assist migrants

Third annual gun buyback scheduled for Aug. 9

Driver arrested after crashing into entrance of Esperanza Center

Construction underway on new north addition to St. Joseph’s Nursing Home 

Prince of Peace merges with St. Francis de Sales in Harford County

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Warsaw archbishop ‘devastated, crushed’ by priest’s arrest in brutal murder of homeless man
  • Jubilee of Youth chance to celebrate hope, fraternity in world at war, panel says
  • New York archdiocese sees hundreds of responses to ‘Called By Name’ program
  • Can’t afford a Catholic college? Think again. Many offer full tuition options
  • Detroit archbishop fires theologians Ralph Martin, Eduardo Echeverría from seminary
  • LA archbishop, joined by business leaders, starts fund to help families affected by ICE raids
  • FBI surveilled SSPX priest amid probe of suspected neo-Nazi’s plans for violence
  • Poland’s ‘living memorial’ to St. John Paul II marks 25 years of transforming lives
  • Our faith is not afraid of questions

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en